Love Comes Calling, Dressed In Disguise
by m-is-for-MollyMansfieldMealing
Summary: Late night Rita and drunken Connie... Who knows what could happen? ;) Freechamp! (My first ever!) Will be a one-shot :D
1. Drunken Realisations

**Hello! So, this is my first Freehcamp fic... (which is another way of saying it's more than likely terrible as I've never written them before and I'm not altogether sure I ship it, though you guys are definitely turning me I think xD) I got the idea from an OTP prompt on tumblr so credit to that :D**

**Reviews would be lovely, just so I know whether to attempt to write them again sometime xD I hope you all enjoy it though :) -Sophie x**

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It was 11pm and Rita was snuggled under her duvet, fast asleep. It had been her first day back at work after her week off and she was absolutely exhausted. Her eyes were drooping over her takeaway supper, and she eventually clambered into bed a whole 2 hours earlier than usual. The sky outside was now littered with stars, and the light from the moon shone between the gap in the woman's curtains. All was calm. All was still.

However, all that was about to change.

There was harsh knock at Rita's door, and she stirred in her sleep, unable to wake from her slumber. Another knock rang throughout the house, but again she lay still. Until a handful of rocks hit her bedroom window that is, and she awoke with a jolt.

"What the…" she mumbled, rubbing her eyes and sitting up, trying to get her bearings and figure out what had woken her. Another handful of stones clattered at her window and she jumped before sliding out of bed, pulling on her night gown as she made her way to the window, rubbing the sleep from her eyes as she did so.

Rita looked out to see a swaying figure stood on her doorstep, a glass bottle containing a dirty brown liquid in her hand. Even from above, that hair was unmistakeable, and the blonde's heart momentarily stopped.

It was Connie.

The clinical lead staggered back and gestured to her with her bottle. Unable to hear what was spewing from her mouth (which was most likely a good thing), Rita sighed and went downstairs, grabbing her door key from the hallway table and unlocking the door.

As soon as it opened, an icy chill snaked around her ankles and bit at her bare legs. She shivered as she looked up into the very drunk face of her boss.

"Connie. What a pleasure." She said dryly, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow as the brunette clutched the wall for support. "What can I do for you." On the outside she remained cool, but on the inside, well, that was a whole other story…

"You," she hissed, jabbing at the smaller woman's chest, "you have cossst me everything! Everything! My rep-reputation, my daughter, everything!" She raised her arms and waved them about. "I have nothing left, all thanksss to you."

"Whatever." Rita muttered. "Go home."

"No." Her boss said shortly, standing tall and indignant in front of her. Looking closer, the small woman noticed that her eyes were red-rimmed and blood shot, and not just from the drink either. Her face was pale, deathly so in the moonlight, and she trembled where she stood, whether the woman knew it or not.

She couldn't expect her to walk home in this state, even she wasn't _that_ heartless. Rita sighed and stood to one side.

"Get in. You'll get frostbite if you stay out here any longer." She nodded towards her living room, though her voice remained emotionless, looking at her boss expectantly who stood still, seemingly frozen.

"Well? In!" She still made no effort to move, she was seemingly engulfed by her own thoughts. Rolling her eyes, the nurse pulled her by the sleeve into her hallway and gently pushed her towards the sitting room. Connie went obediently, looking around as she tried not to stumble in her heels. Rita pointed to the sofa, and the taller woman sat, still clutching at her beloved bottle. As she raised it to her lips, it was promptly yanked from her grip and taken to the other side of the room where it was inspected with wide eyes.

"Jesus Connie, how much have you had to drink? This is almost pure alcohol!" The blonde haired nurse exclaimed, but Connie just looked down, muttering to herself.

"Almost…" Was the only word audible as she ran a hand through her hair. This was one action that had always made Rita weak at the knees, even when she was a teenager. Her heart began to race as her boss looked up, brown orbs suddenly wide and anxious.

"Rita…" She mumbled, "I have no-one left. I'm alone. No-one else likes me." She spoke as if she were realising this for the first time, and the nurse manager felt her heart tug, whispering to go to her from deep within her chest.

"No you're not, don't be ridiculous." She said quietly, going over to her and cautiously sitting down. Connie was the most unpredictable drunk she had ever met, and she herself being one, it was a pretty big statement to make.

"I am." She shook, looking around. "No-one loves me. I had Grace but, but even she doesn't love me anymore." Her eyes began to fill with tears and Rita took a deep breath.

Here comes the emotional drunk, she thought to herself as she reached over to the coffee table and retrieved her tissues.

"Look, Connie, seriously. There are loads of people that care about you, whether you know it or not."

Rita's heart was now thumping ten times as loud as usual, and she almost became self-conscious in case the other woman heard. She had dreamed of a chance like this, to tell the Ice Queen exactly how she felt. But something stopped her for the minute- something was holding her back. She needed the exact, perfect moment.

"Name me three. Go on." Connie spat, and the blonde thought for a second.

"Alfred Maxwell." She said firmly, then another came to her.

"Charlie. He cares, you know he does."

This was it. This was her chance. Rita bit her lip slightly before speaking again.

"And me." She said softly, fingers fiddling with the tie on her night gown as Connie turned to look at her, a sneery look on her face.

"Yeah right. You just can't think of a third person."

"No, I was being serious." She said slowly. "Ever since you walked through those ED doors, I have admired you. And since then, that admiration has turned into… Well, love. There's no other way to explain it."

Connie's mouth opened ever so slightly, and Rita lifted a shaky hand and gently closed it, brushing her thumb gently across her cheek as she did so. Connie felt the place their skin had collided, and it felt warm and inviting, something she hadn't experienced since her days with Sam. Something inside her began to stir, to crawl up through her icy exterior and break through into open air.

"I love you…" The brunette whispered, still with shock at what she had just realised. This fuelling hatred, their spiteful words and bitching fights; they had all been yet another mask, another curtain to hide her secret behind. Because the truth was, that Connie Beauchamp was in love with her clinical nurse manager.

"That must have been why I came here tonight…" She whispered to herself, though Rita heard every word and began to smile to herself.

"Shhh." The blonde whispered, placing a small finger on her soft lips and pausing, leaving it there until letting it fall back into her lap. Their eyes locked, both sets of deep brown eyes searching the others, getting lost within the depths of their minds.

Before either of them knew it, they both began to slowly move forward, and soon enough their lips collided.

It was sweet. It was soft. It was love.

Rita gently ran her petite hands through Connie's hair and broke away for a breath, leaning forwards so their foreheads touched. She had remembered the drink as the stale aftertaste slowly entered her mouth, and looked into her boss' eyes.

"You need to sober up. I need some rest. Why don't we both go to bed- you can sleep in the spare room for the night."

"Spare, room? Not yours?" Connie looked slightly hopeful as Rita grinned, moving away and standing up.

"If you feel the same way tomorrow then maybe different arrangements could be made." She raised an eyebrow and held out her hand. "Come on."

Connie took it and she stood too, before letting the nurse lead her out of the room and up the stairs.


	2. Kisses For Breakfast

**This is rather rushed as I've got a tonne of revision to do, but I had the urge to write some Freechamp earlier, so write I did! I might update this during the 6 week holidays if I get any inspiration for a storyline, but if not then I most likely won't update again xD**

**Reviews would be lovely- perhaps possible ideas where this could go? Feeling very unimaginative lately with the amount of work I'm getting at school :''( I hope you all enjoy anyhow, and I hope you're all having a great week! -Sophie x**

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The following morning, Rita's alarm burst into song at exactly 6:45. As Taylor Swift began to serenade the nurse with "Shake it off", the streetlamps turned off outside, signalling the arrival of a new day. Rita stood and yawned, confused as to why she felt so knackered after a full night's rest as she pulled on her dressing gown and wandered onto the landing. There came a sudden burst of music from her spare room, and she jumped as Bruno Mars' "Uptown Funk" hit her ears. Curious and slightly disorientated, she padded along the landing and gently pushed open the door.

Laid, rather un lady-like across her spare bed, was Connie. She had her mouth open and was snoring loudly, tousled curls in one big knot like a bird's nest behind her head, and the remains of the previous day's make up was smudged across her face. It was only then that Rita began to recall the previous night's events, and slowly a grin began to form across her features, until it turned into a giggle. Then a laugh. Then hysterics.

This eventually roused the sleeping woman and she awoke, instantly clapping her hands to her ears.

"Grace be quiet…" She groaned, trying to open her eyes slowly. "Mummy's got a headache."

"I'm not Grace Connie," Rita grinned, "and you'll have more than a headache when you manage to open them eyes of yours."

The clinical lead froze and opened her eyes, to see her clinical nurse manager stood at the foot of the bed. Without too much movement, and face a true picture of horror, she glanced down at herself.

"Shit." She mumbled, sitting up and raising her hand to her head, letting her elbow rest on her knees. "What time is it?"

"6:53."

"Great, couldn't have been earlier if I'd have tried. God I feel awful. Do you mind informing me why head hurts like buggery?"

Rita, still grinning, crossed her arms.

"Do you not remember anything from last night?"

Connie raised her eyebrows, before wiping the sleep from the corners of her eyes.

"What do you think?" She said sarcastically, and the small blonde woman just opened her mouth.

"Oooh ho ho, this is going to be fun." She perched on the wooden posts at the end of her bed, and looked straight into her eyes.

"Well first you woke me up at 11pm by throwing rocks at my window,-" She began, and Connie bit her lip.

"-then you refused to go home so I had to let you in before you got frostbite, and I confiscated your alcohol which wasn't far off pure,-"

"Well that explains why I feel like death warmed up I suppose…" The brunette muttered to herself and ran her hands through her hair, without realising the effect it had on the nurse who had begun to flush. She slipped onto the bed covers and slightly startled Connie, but carried on speaking anyway.

"-but then you poured your heart out to me saying how lonely you were and how no-one liked you, and you discovered that there were; Alfred, Charlie…" She paused, not breaking eye contact. "and me."

"Wait, what?" Connie tried to make sense of what Rita had just told her, when the nurse leant forwards and kissed her on the lips, feeling the same spark that had been present last night. Connie froze, about to push away until she felt that familiar warmth run through her body, and she relaxed. Smiling against Rita's touch, she responded and trailed her fingers through the woman's short hair.

"I understand now." She murmured as they stopped for a breath, both smiling like a pair of loved-up school children. "But this can't go any further than the confines of this house, for professional reasons."

"Connie…" Rita sighed as the woman swung her legs over the side of the bed and tried to stand up, moving through the nausea that had begun to roll over her in waves. She took some deep breaths and straightened up, stretching her arms behind her.

"It's not professional. Plus I don't want everyone gossiping about my personal life, thank you very much." She muttered, picking her hand bag up and retrieving the hair brush from inside.

"But others have work founded relationships!" She argued, and Connie turned to look at her.

"I wouldn't call this a relationship Rita. We've kissed twice and one of those I don't even remember properly. God, I only realised I liked you last night! That I do remember." She said under her breath, "And what do you mean, loads? I can think of one and that's Zoe and Max!" The small blonde stood, indignant.

"Call it what you like but still; I'm happy, properly happy for the first time in ages. I want to talk about it! And there are loads more- Ethan kissed Honey that time remember, and Robyn fancies the pants off of Lofty… Tess and Fletch had that affair thing, and not to mention Dylan liking Lo- actually, forget that last one. But still; it's the best thing that's happened to me in a while and you know that. Please Connie? Even if I just tell Tess?"

The clinical lead faltered in her movements; she was just about to leave the room when the nurse raised her voice. She paused to think, mulling over possible scenarios and people's opinions, before turning back to face the woman who'd offered her her spare room for the night. She hadn't taken advantage of her whilst she was drunk, she hadn't tried to undress her or do anything inappropriate or cruel… In fact she'd done quite the opposite. She'd taken her in, comforted her and given her a reason to carry on. She was very grateful, though she hated admitting she had needed help, the woman still gave it to her.

"Let's see how things pan out first, before we make any rash decisions." Connie said slowly, tucking a curl behind her ear and glancing down at the floor. "Give it a few weeks. Ok?"

Rita hesitated before nodding and smiling. "Ok I suppose. I guess we could wait."

"Good." Connie smiled before glancing down at her watch.

"Oh god it's nearly quarter past 7." She groaned. Rita moved towards the door and stood in front of her boss, looking up into her deep brown eyes.

"I guess we'd better get breakfast then." The blonde said, raising her eyebrows slightly and parting her lips. "We don't want Mrs Beauchamp running on an empty tank now do we?"

"We do not, you're quite right." She matched Rita's seductive tone. "What do you propose?"

"Well there is that movie from the 40's, what was it now…" She pretended to think, before tilting her head slightly. "Oh yes. "Kisses for breakfast.". I do like that film."

"You're not the only one. That title sounds very appealing."

"Oh Mrs Beauchamp, are you flirting with me?" The blonde grinned, pretending to be shocked. Connie just raised her eyebrows and moved slightly closer.

"Whatever would make you think that…" She murmured, watching as Rita's face moved ever so slightly closer to hers.

"So." Rita whispered, breath tickling Connie's nose. "_Will_ it be kisses for breakfast?"

Their foreheads were almost touching by the time the taller woman replied.

"I suppose so… If it's served with a starter of aspirin and water? My head is killing me."

Rita spluttered at how blunt she was, and Connie smiled herself before opening the door a little wider.

"Lead the way Miss Freeman."

"Happy to." She replied, eyes dancing as they made their way downstairs.


End file.
